Dry Bag Harness System

ABSTRACT

A dry bag harness system for use with a roll top dry bag. The harness system allows for stitch free construction of a waterproof bag to provide use of compression straps around the perimeter of the bag. The webbing or strap is one continuous piece, and is free moving within the contained area. The containment system includes a patch that is sealed or welded to the bag to provide for a waterproof and airtight construction. The patch includes a passageway for the strap to allow the strap to slide within the patch while the strap is being tightened around the bag. The dry bag is constructed without any stitched areas and this arrangement allows the strap to apply even pressure to the bag when cinching the web type strap.

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/245,566 filed Sep. 24, 2009, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to bags and specifically to water proof dry bags used to keep clothing and equipment dry when used in wet environments.

SUMMARY

According to the present disclosure, a bag includes a webbing containment system that is used in connection with a dry bag.

In illustrative embodiments, the webbing containment system allows for stitch free construction of a waterproof bag to provide use of compression straps around the perimeter of the bag. The webbing or strap is one continuous piece, and is free moving within the contained area. The containment system includes a patch that is sealed or welded to the bag to provide for a waterproof and airtight construction. The patch includes a passageway for the strap to allow the strap to slide within the patch while the strap is being tightened around the bag. The bag of the present disclosure allows the product within the dry bag to be constructed without any stitched areas, which could cause leaks. The present design provides for a stronger and more bag than stitched straps.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The detailed description particularly refers to the accompanying figures in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the bag showing a bottom wall, an annular side wall extending downwardly from the bottom wall and a strap extending from the bottom wall down the side wall and also showing the webbing containment system sonic welded to the bottom wall of the bag, the containment patch having a pair of slits that allow for the passage of the web strap and further showing a handle;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the webbing strap passing through the containment patch and a handle laying across the top of the containment patch;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the bag showing the containment patch extending across the bottom wall of the bag perpendicular to the handle and showing a webbing material passing through the containment patch, the perimeter of the containment patch being sonic welded to the bottom wall of the bag;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the bag showing the containment web strap extending down the sides of the bags into a pair of snap buckles and a user pulling up on the containment web straps to compress the bag and its contents;

FIG. 5 is a top view showing the containment web strap passing through the containment patch, the containment being tightened to compress the bag and also showing the handle positioned above the containment patch and web strap;

FIG. 6 is a side view of the bag in a compressed state with the containment web strap tightened to the bag.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the bag showing a mouth opening into a product receiving chamber formed by the sidewalls of the bag; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the top of the bag rolled down and coupled to the containment web strap.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

While the present disclosure may be susceptible to embodiment in different forms, there are shown in the drawings, and herein will be described in detail, embodiments with the understanding that the present description is to be considered an exemplification of the principles of the disclosure and is not intended to limit the disclosure to the details of construction and the arrangements of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings.

Dry storage bag 11 is configured to store items that the user of the bag would like to keep dry, as shown for example, in FIG. 1. Dry storage bag 11 includes an annular side wall 20 and a bottom wall 22 coupled to the annular side wall 20. Side wall 20 and bottom wall 22 form a product receiving chamber 17 with dry storage bag 11. Bottom wall 22 is coupled to side wall 20 by sonic welding, RF welding or other coupling means such as bonding with an adhesive. Dry storage bag 11 also includes an annular rim 15 that defines a mouth opening into the product receiving chamber 17.

The annular sidewall 20 of the dry storage bag is configured to be rolled up by a user at an end opposite the bottom wall 22 to seal the opening and close off the product receiving chamber, as shown in FIG. 9. The bag 11 also includes an adjustable harness strap 14 that is configured to extend from the bottom wall 22, along the annular side wall 20 and to the mouth of the bag 11, as shown in FIG. 1. When the overall length of the harness strap 14 is shortened through adjustment by tightening the slide buckles, the harness strap 14 exerts a compressive force on the bag 11 to compress the bag 11 and the contents in the product receiving chamber.

The bag 11 also includes a containment patch 18 coupled to the bottom wall 22 and configured to generally limit lateral movement (side to side movement) of the adjustable harness strap 14 without restricting linear movement of the harness strap 14 through the containment patch 18 during tightening of the harness strap 14 around the bag 11, as shown in FIG. 4. The containment patch 18 maintains the position of the harness strap 14 on bottom wall 22 so that it remains generally centered during tightening of the harness strap 14. This results in uniform compression of the dry bag 11 so that one portion of the side wall 20 is not compressed further by the strap 14 than the other side.

The bag 11 also includes a handle 36 positioned to lie near the bottom wall 22 of the bag 11 and proximate to the containment patch 18, as shown in FIG. 4. The handle 36 is adapted to permit the bag 11 to be carried by a user after the bag 11 has been filled and sealed. The handle 36 includes a first and second ends 37, 39 that are coupled to the bag 11 at the perimeter of the bottom wall 22. Ends 37, 39 are connected to the bag 11 at a position that is perpendicular to the direction of the harness strap 14 so that the handle 36 does not interfere with the operation of the harness strap 14.

The harness strap 14 is preferably a two piece configuration. The harness strap 14 includes a first portion 21 that is positioned to lie near the mouth of the bag 11, as shown in FIG. 1. The first portion 21 of the harness strap 14 is coupled to the mouth of the bag 11 so that when the annular side wall 20 of the bag is rolled up, the first portion 21 of the harness strap 14 is rolled up along with the annular side wall 20. The harness strap 14 includes a second portion 23 that passes loosely through containment patch 18. Both the first and second portions 21, 23 include buckle portions that can be coupled together to form a continuous strap.

The bottom wall 22 of dry storage bag 11 is preferably plastic welded to the annular side wall 20 so that no holes are placed in the material, as shown in FIG. 1. This makes the construction waterproof. The containment patch 18 is also plastic welded to the bottom wall 22. The containment patch 18 includes an opening to allow the harness strap 14 to pass through. The harness strap 14 is free to move through the opening in the containment patch 18. The bottom wall 22 and the annular side wall 20 are preferably made from the same flexible material. This allows both pieces to flex at the same rate and allows the material to be compatible for use of the plastic welding process. The harness strap is used to prevent the annular sidewall 20 from unrolling until desired by the user.

The strap containment & compression system 10 on bag 11 allows for stitch free construction of the waterproof bag 11 while providing the ability to compress said bag 12, as shown in FIG. 1. Harness strap 14 is secured to the bag 11 and is made of a continuous piece of material and is free moving within the contained area 16 of containment patch 18, allowing for the compression force from the continuous piece of harness strap 14 to pull against itself on each side of bag 11. Note, compression comes from one continuous piece of strapping itself as it is not stitched or tethering to the side wall 20 or bottom wall 22 of bag 11. This arrangement allows for maximum bag compression.

The containment patch 18 is sealed or welded (sonic welded or the like) to the bag 11 to provide for a waterproof construction. The containment patch 18 is oval in shape and has a perimeter edge 24, as shown in FIG. 1. Perimeter edge 24 has an attachment zone 26 that is sealed or welded to the bottom wall 22 of bag 11. The containment patch 18 includes a pair of slits 28, 30 to create a passageway that allows for the unrestricted passage of the harness strap 14. The harness strap 14 includes a first portion 21 that is coupled to the opening of the bag 11. The first portion 21 includes the first halves of a pair of buckle fasteners 32, 34.

Containment web strap 14 includes a second portion 23 that is configured to include the second portions of the buckle fasteners 32, 34 when the mouth of the bag is rolled down to seal the opening of the bag 12. Containment harness strap 14 is coupled at its ends to buckle fasteners 32, 34 and pulled tight to compress containment harness strap 14 around the bag. Since containment patch 18 does not restrict the movement of the containment harness strap 14, the strap 14 can move freely to evenly compress the bag 12.

In use, a user puts their goods into the opening of the bag into the product receiving chamber 17 within. The user next rolls the side walls of the bag downwardly toward the bottom, which contains the first portion 21 of the harness strap 14. Once the sidewalls are rolled, the user next couples the end portions of the fasteners 32, 34 together and pulls the ends of the harness strap 14 tightly to compress the containment web strap 14 around the bag 12. Since containment patch 18 only guides containment web strap 14, strap 14 is allowed to move freely and evenly compress the bag 12. Once compressed, a user can grab handle 36 formed at the bottom wall 22 of the bag 12 and carry the bag.

The present design allows the bag 12 to be constructed without any stitched or patched areas to prevent leaking. This design provides for a stronger and more durable design than stitched and or patched straps and allows for uniform compression to the bag 12.

While embodiments have been illustrated and described in the drawings and foregoing description, such illustrations and descriptions are considered to be exemplary and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only illustrative embodiments have been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected. The applicants have provided description and figures which are intended as illustrations of embodiments of the disclosure, and are not intended to be construed as containing or implying limitation of the disclosure to those embodiments. There are a plurality of advantages of the present disclosure arising from various features set forth in the description. It will be noted that alternative embodiments of the disclosure may not include all of the features described yet still benefit from at least some of the advantages of such features. Those of ordinary skill in the art may readily devise their own implementations of the disclosure and associated methods, without undue experimentation, that incorporate one or more of the features of the disclosure and fall within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure and the appended claims. 

1. A dry storage bag comprising: a flexible annular side wall; a bottom wall connected to the side wall, the annular side wall formed to include a mouth opening into a product receiving chamber, the annular sidewall configured to be rolled up at an end opposite the bottom wall to seal the opening and close off the product receiving chamber; an adjustable harness strap that is configured to extend from the bottom wall, along the annular side wall and to the mouth of the bag wherein when the overall length of the harness strap is shortened, the harness strap exerts a compressive force on the bag to compress the bag; and a containment patch coupled to the bottom wall and configured to generally limit lateral movement of the adjustable harness strap without restricting linear movement of the harness strap during tightening of the harness strap around the bag.
 2. The dry storage bag of claim 1, wherein the harness strap includes at least one adjustment buckle to allow the length of the harness strap to be shortened or lengthened.
 3. The dry storage bag of claim 2, wherein a portion of the harness strap is positioned to lie near the mouth of the bag.
 4. The dry storage bag of claim 3, wherein the portion of the harness strap is coupled to the mouth of the bag so that when the annular side wall of the bag is rolled the portion of the harness strap is rolled along with the annular side wall.
 5. The dry storage bag of claim 1, wherein the bottom wall is plastic welded to the annular side wall.
 6. The dry storage bag of claim 5, wherein the containment patch is plastic welded to the bottom wall.
 7. The dry storage bag of claim 1, wherein the containment patch includes an opening to allow the harness strap to pass through.
 8. The dry storage bag of claim 7, wherein the harness strap is free to move through the opening in the containment patch.
 9. The dry storage bag of claim 8, wherein the bottom wall and the annular side wall are made from the same flexible material.
 10. A dry storage bag comprising: a flexible bottom wall; an annular side wall formed to include a mouth opening into a product receiving chamber, the annular sidewall configured to be rolled up by a user at an end opposite the bottom wall to seal the opening and close off the product receiving chamber; an adjustable harness strap that is configured to extend from the bottom wall, along the annular side wall and to the mouth of the bag wherein when the overall length of the harness strap is shortened through adjustment, the harness strap exerts a compressive force on the bag to compress the bag; a containment patch coupled to the bottom wall and configured to generally limit lateral movement of the adjustable harness strap without restricting linear movement of the harness strap during tightening of the harness strap around the bag; and a handle positioned to lie near the bottom wall of the bag and proximate to the containment patch, the handle being adapted to permit the bag to be carried.
 11. The dry storage bag of claim 10, wherein the harness strap includes at least one adjustment buckle to allow the length of the harness strap to be shortened or lengthened.
 12. The dry storage bag of claim 11, wherein a portion of the harness strap is positioned to lie near the mouth of the bag.
 13. The dry storage bag of claim 12, wherein the portion of the harness strap is coupled to the mouth of the bag so that when the annular side wall of the bag is rolled up, the portion of the harness strap is rolled up along with the annular side wall.
 14. The dry storage bag of claim 10, wherein the bottom wall is plastic welded to the annular side wall.
 15. The dry storage bag of claim 14, wherein the containment patch is plastic welded to the bottom wall.
 16. The dry storage bag of claim 10, wherein the containment patch includes an opening to allow the harness strap to pass through.
 17. The dry storage bag of claim 16, wherein the harness strap is free to move through the opening in the containment patch.
 18. The dry storage bag of claim 17, wherein the bottom wall and the annular side wall are made from the same flexible material.
 19. The dry storage bag of claim 13, wherein the harness strap is used to prevent the annular sidewall from unrolling until desired by the user. 